Hyenas operate on the kind of raw intensity that made bands like Norma Jean and Every Time I Die heroes of the 00s metalcore scene. The latest song to be released from their forthcoming debut LP Deadweights is “Self-Adjusting,” a bludgeoning riff-fest that at just over one minute in length, pummels the listener from the start to finish.
The video is full of imagery that hearkens to the cover of the upcoming LP. Scenes of a woman huddled on the floor are interspersed with scenes that cut from a black-and-white smoke to a slithering, scale-textured substance.
Despite the inherent darkness and abrasiveness of Hyenas, the music is incredibly upbeat and could even be considered “catchy.” It’s not unlike the manner which Every Time I Die was able to create a shockingly fun entry into the metalcore canon with Hot Damn! back in 2003.
With a few exceptions, it’s been a mostly downhill-trajectory for the genre since the mid-00s. Luckily, bands like Hyenas are bringing back the best the genre had to offer and reintroducing it to a new generation of headbangers.
Check out the video for “Self-Adjusting” below:
The album, which will be released on March 10, 2017, was recorded in four days in the isolated Germany countryside that is the location of Ghost City Recordings.
According to lead singer Robert Sierl, who’s dynamic vocals are perfectly complemented by the range of rhythmic riffage and shifting tempos from the backing band:
“The album orbits around the topic of self development as a human being, whilst simultaneously criticizing abuses and misconduct caused by modern society that are increasingly rooted in the personalities of each individual.”
Hyenas – Deadweights
1. Noise
2. Crooked Tongue
3. Ambiself
4. Crossbearer
5. Self-Adjusting
6. Homeostasis 02:28
7. Verminious
8. Smooth Talkers
9. Displaced
10. Live // Live
11. Nothing
Leave a Comment